Hearse.



No. 704,340. Patented July 8, I902.

D. JOHNSTON.

H E A R S E.

(Application filed Feb. 4, 1902.)

(No Model.)

By k444i ATTO ' UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

DAVID JOHNSTON, OF WATSEKA, ILLINOIS.

HEARSE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 704,340, dated July 8, 1902.

Application filed February 4, 1902. Serial No. 92,504 (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be itknown that 1, DAVID JOHNSTON, a citizen of the United States, and a residentof NVatseka, in the county of Iroquois and State of Illinois, have invented a new and Improved Hearse, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates particularly to improvements in devices for clamping a casket in a hearse; and the object is to provide clamping devices with means whereby they may be quickly and simultaneously adjusted to different sizes of caskets and that when adjusted will prevent movement of the casket on the floor of the hearse.

I will describe a hearse embodying my invention and thenpoint out the novel features in the appended claims.

Reference is to be had to theaccompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in'allthe figures.

Figure 1 is a plan view of the floor portion of a hearse, showing'clarnping devices embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a bottom plan view. Fig. 3 is a perspective view or" one of the clamping-blocks employed. Fig. 4 is a perspective View showing. an operating gear and a locking means therefor, and Fig. 5 is a section thereof.

Referring to thedrawings, 1 designates thebottom or floorof ahearse-body, and arranged therein are the usual rollers 2, upon which the casket may slide when placing it in the hearse or removing it therefrom.

The hearse is provided with a series of slots :3, which are divergent from a centrall ine toward the corners of the hearse. Movable in each slot is a clamping-block a, having its inner end curved upward, as indicated at 5, to engage with the sides of the casket. Each block is movable on a guide-rod 6, extending along the slot at the lower side of the hearsebottom, the body portions of the blocks of course being extended through the slots and held by the walls of the slots from lateral motion. At the opposite ends of the slots are sproeket-pinions '7 8, around which an endless sprocketchain 9 extends, and the several blocks a are attached to this chain, so that by a movement of the chain the blocks may be moved toward or from the casket.

The chain extends around an operating-gear 10, arranged on the lower side of the bottom of the hearse, at the rear end, and a take-up spocket-pinion 11 also engages with the chain. This take-up sprocket-pinion 11 is mounted on a rod 12, movable in guides 13 and pressed forward by means of a spring 14. The crankhandle 15 for the operating-gear 10" is of spring yielding material, and it carries a locking-pin 16, movable in a perforation in the gear 10 and adapted to engage in any one of a series of perforations 17 in a plate 18, secured to the bottom of the hearse.

In operation after placing a casket in the hearse the gear 10 is to be rotated by means of its crank-handle, after first, of course, removing the locking-pin 16 from a perforation in the plate 18, so as to move the several clamping-blocks toward and into engagement with the sides of the casket. When drawn sumciently tight, the crank-handle 15 is to be released, so that by its spring action it will move the locking-pin into a perforation in the fixed plate. Obviously by an opposite movement of the operating-gear 10 the clamping devices will be moved away from the casket, so that the casket may be removed from the hearse.

WVhile I have shown a sprocket-chain and sprocket-pinions, it is to be understood that any other form-of endless belt and rollers may be employed without departing from the spirit of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent l. Ahearse having slots in its floor, the said slots being'divergent with relation to a central point, guide-rods extended along said slots, clamping-blocks movable on the said rods within the slots, sprocketpinions arranged at the ends of the slots, a chain engaging with the several sprocket-pinions and also having connection with the several clamping devices, an operating-gear having connection with said chain, and means for looking the operating-gear,substantially as specified.

2. A hearse having slots through its floor, the said slots being divergent with relation to a central point, guide-rods extended along said slots on the lower side of the hearse bottom blocks, an operating-gear with which the chain engages, a crank for said gear and consisting of spring metal, a plate between the gear and the lower side of the flooring of the hearse, the side plate being provided with a series of perforations, and a pin carried by the crank for engaging in any one of the said perforations, substantially as specified.

' In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of 25 two subscribing witnesses.

' DAVID JOHNSTON.

Witnesses:

GEo. W. TUCKER, GEORGE H. ZOURWALT. 

